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2011 Fisker Karma, an AW Flash Drive

February 21, 2011

Fisker says the Karma will run from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds when the powertrain is in sport mode.

What is it?

The Karma is Fisker's long-awaited, much-ballyhooed extended-range luxury four-door electric vehicle. As a true series hybrid, the Karma has two electric motors hooked longitudinally to its rear axle (one ahead of the differential, one behind it), and together they produce a claimed 403 hp.

A 180-kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack from A123 Systems is housed in the spine of the chassis, and its case is said to add structural rigidity to the car. All the major drivetrain components are slung low in the chassis, producing a low center of gravity, according to Fisker. Combined with a long wheelbase (124.4 inches) and a wide track (67 inches at the rear), the Karma's all-around wishbone suspension promises excellent dynamics.

Up front is a 260-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection General Motors Ecotec four-cylinder engine spinning a 175-kilowatt generator. The all-aluminum bodywork is a swoopy four-door design that shows hints of Fisker's previous involvement at Aston Martin and BMW, although nothing blatant enough to obscure some original aspects.

Fisker's extensive experience in the industry allowed him to cherry-pick a handy crew of engineers to develop the necessary body structure, suspension, interior design, telematics and drivetrain disciplines at a competitive level, and some of the solutions are comparable to the best carmakers on the planet.

In keeping with the eco-conscious aspects of EV operation, Fisker chooses to use glass particles instead of metal flake in the paint, and the small strip of wood trim on the dashboard is sourced from timber recovered from the Great Lakes or from forest fires or tree falls. Never from live growth. Other materials are from recycled sources, too.

What is it like to drive?

Select "stealth" mode at the left-hand steering-wheel paddle, and the car moves off under battery power alone. It's quiet, so Fisker has added an electronic tone that sounds like a distant formation of radial-engined aircraft, projected from small, low-power speakers front and back. Fisker says the Karma will go up to 50 miles on battery power alone.

Acceleration to 60 mph on electric power is said to be a 7.9-second trip, whereas in sport mode (when the gasoline engine joins in to supply current) the time drops to a claimed 5.9 seconds. It's hard to say whether that's likely, since Fisker's men admitted after I asked them about the quoted 403 hp that our test mule was only producing about 320 hp. It's a matter of further development, they said.

But the car works fine, accelerating at a respectable clip and negotiating the infield at Fontana's Auto Club Raceway with surprising agility. The ride is supple and quiet and the structure seems solid (given a few squeaks and creaks from the interior panels that are dismissed as prototype problems). It does not feel particularly heavy, and we can probably thank the all-aluminum construction for that, but Fisker's staff would not offer a weight estimate, so we'll have to wait for an exact figure.

Fisker's guys have opted for an electrohydraulic steering assist which we applaud for its feel and feedback. It teams with good ride-motion control to allow aggressive racetrack driving with commendable stability. The four-door format provides modest rear-seat space, about what you might expect from a Porsche Panamera, and most likely better than that of an Aston Martin Rapide.

Do I want it?

Although we'll concede that revolutionary new technology usually tends to happen at the high end of the market (hybrids being something of an anomaly), the Karma's $95,000 price tag puts it into the league of high rollers who are (or want to be seen as) ecologically responsible. Nothing wrong with that, and the Karma certainly has enough presence to play in that realm.

The interior, too, is convincingly upscale. The materials and design do not fall short of luxury-car expectations, and the large touch screen, in particular, has functionality and esthetic appeal in equal measure.

The real question is whether anyone needs a large, luxury four-door EV. However it turns out, Fisker is a brave venture in a decidedly risky business.